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Welcome!
Whether you are a gardener, an Outlander fan, a West Seattle resident, or someone tuning in for the latest episode of Sound Transit and West Seattle Bridge drama, I hope you find something useful here.
I had the great honor of making a small contribution to this remarkable book. If you are a fan, you need a copy.
Blog Posts
Life at Alki Beach: Pirates and Pole Vaulters - Aaaargh!!
It appears that the Seafair Pirate landing at Alki Beach is cancelled this year because of lingering issues from the pandemic. This photo es
Marie McKinsey
Jun 11, 20212 min read
The Alki 11 Row House Project: Density Done Wrong
In 2013, a developer announced plans to replace these three beach houses with an 11-unit row house project in the Alki Beach neighborhood.
Marie McKinsey
Jun 5, 20212 min read
SkyLink: Rising Above It All In West Seattle
Did you know that trains don't run uphill? It's true. On level ground, those smooth metal wheels glide along those smooth metal rails,...
Marie McKinsey
May 18, 20214 min read
West Seattle's Affordable Housing Crisis
Is "crisis" too strong a word for the state of affordable housing in West Seattle?
Marie McKinsey
May 14, 20216 min read
The Alaska Junction in West Seattle: A 15-minute City?
Can West Seattle's Alaska Junction become a 15-minute city?
Marie McKinsey
May 7, 20215 min read
Were Sewer Breaks on Wickstrom Place Caused by Development?
During the weeks of controversy over the permitting of the Alki 11 rowhouses that now face 55th Ave SW and Wickstrom Place SW at Alki Beach,
Marie McKinsey
Oct 1, 20152 min read
The Wishing Tree
In my car, running errands, I often pass a house with a lovely Japanese maple in the front yard, decorated with little white lights and what
Marie McKinsey
Apr 5, 20152 min read
A Gaelic Blessing
This fun little song was part of my community choir's 30th Anniversary concert.
I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed sing
Marie McKinsey
Apr 14, 20141 min read
Sleeping With Mozart
How is it possible to share a bed with a man who has been dead for 222 years?
It's simple - try learning to perform his music. It stays wit
Marie McKinsey
Feb 23, 20141 min read
The Sustainable Alternative to the Alki 11
I wrote this when I had become tired of pointing out the problems with this project. Our protests fell on deaf ears anyway. It was clear tha
Marie McKinsey
Jul 13, 20134 min read
Will the Alki 11 Rowhouses Cause Flooding?
If you've been following these posts for a while, you are familiar with the math: for every inch of rainfall, nearly 5500 gallons of stormwa
Marie McKinsey
Jun 29, 20135 min read
Over One MILLION Gallons of Waste Water - Where's It All Going to Go?
In my last post, I explained how the Alki 11 rowhouse project on 55th Ave SW will add more than one million gallons of combined waste and st
Marie McKinsey
Jun 27, 20132 min read
How Much Sewage Will the Alki 11 Generate?
In an earlier post, I explained how to calculate the amount of stormwater runoff this project will produce. Now let's look at the amount of
Marie McKinsey
Jun 19, 20132 min read
Here's Where Things Get Serious: The Environmental Impacts of the Alki 11 Row Houses
To really measure the environmental impact of a project, you have to look at what it replaces. When you compare the before and after, side b
Marie McKinsey
May 27, 20131 min read
Remembering the Alki Beach 9/11 Memorial
It is hard to believe that a decade has passed since the events of 9/11/2001. And yet, here we are.
Marie McKinsey
Sep 10, 20112 min read
HONK! If You Love Music
Note: This post was from 2010 when HONK! Fest West was held in the West Seattle Junction. If you want to attend the 2021 version, which will
Marie McKinsey
Nov 14, 20102 min read
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